Valved nozzle



H. LAMB Dec. 27, 1949 VALVED NOZ ZLE 2 She'etsfiheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1948 mm m 3 Q Y R R A JR H m m w ////////////0 6 [l 3 attorneys H. LAMB VALVED NOZZLE Dec. 27, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1.948

v n 4 a a n m n 8 6 w a v 4 m 7 6 6 5 w s 8 8 l\ 7. 3 2 5 M 8o 6 0 34% flfi I V F 0 S m i r a u Q Q 2 )1. w 3 I m c /V%// a a FIG Gttorngs Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVED NOZZLE Harry Lamb, Madison, Wis., assignor to C. M. Ambrose Company, Seattle, Wash.

Application September 4, 1948, Serial No. 47,800

' 3 Claims. (Cl. 226111) This invention relates to improvements in a valved nozzle for dispensing liquids, and, more to permit the escape of air from a container and reduce entrapment; that is simple and inexparticularly, to a dispensing mechanism that is pensive to construct and easy to operate and particularly useful in filling containers with paint maintain; that is easily cleaned with rapidity and like liquid and semi-liquid materials. where frequent changes of the material passed The handling of paints and the like into conoccurs; and that is adapted to avoid drip and tainers has always been a vexatious problem to splash during non-filling periods. the paint manufacturer for many reasons. A The foregoing and other objects of my invensimple device commonly used is the well-known tion will be more clearly understood from a readspigot cock that is fitted to a container and is ing of the following detailed description of the manually operated. Upon rotation of the tapered structure embodying my invention. The conelement to efiect a connection between the inlet struction and arrangement of parts will be more and the outlet passages the fluid flows. This defully understood by reference to the accompanyvice is slow in starting, particularly with heavy ing drawings in which: liquids, and does not form asuitable stream since Figure 1 is a perspective view of my valved the latter is small and solid and will tend to nozzle; spatter as it drops to the container if there is Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the axis any appreciable distance of descent. Other deof the nozzle in Figure 1 showing the same in vices have been used but they are normally acclosed condition; companied with disadvantages that, generally, in- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but show elude undue foaming of the liquid, splattering of ing the nozzle in dispensing condition; and the liquid caused by bursting bubbles, slow and Figure 4 is a view in vertical section of a modiineflicient operation not usually geared to the fied form of my dispensing valve. higher speed of normal production in a paint The valved nozzle of this invention, as a unit, plant or the like, dripping between filling periods is shown in Figure 1 and has a casing it formed with a consequent fouling of the containers, difby the upper cup l2 and lower cup M, which have ficulty in cleaning between runs of different marim flanges that are joined in a gasketed and terials or materials of different colors, complifluidtight manner by screws l6 to form chamcations of structure that raise the cost of manuber I8. The upper cup may be supported by an facture and maintenance above that considered arm 20 over a container filling line, or the deeconomical, and limited in design to such an exvice may be otherwise supported in any suitable tent that one suitable for a viscous material is manner. Upper cup I 2 has a top opening 22 not properly operable for a more fluid material. which is aligned with the lower outlet opening Throughout this specification I shall speak of r p r tha is form d in the low r p by nipple my invention as it pertains to the paint industry 26 that is screwed into a suitably threaded port and its application to handling the various fluid in the bottom of cup [4. Between these openmedia common to that business. Such reference, ings chamber [8 is divided in e pressure D however, is intended to be purely exemplary as it tion 30 above, and the fluid portion 32 below. will be obvious that the invention has application Tub 34 i m ln d in Casing N! n li ment to other fields and other materials. For that reaw h the axis 0f the latter and its ends p o e son, I wish to point out that I have no intention eyond t as g above and below as shown in of limiting the invention beyond the scope and he drawin s Th op n ng 2| in upp r c p I spirit of the subjoined claims. through which the tube extends, is sealed by Having in mind the defects and problems of gland to p n leakage a o nd he tubethe prior practices, it has been among the im- At its lower end, tube 34 carries the reciprocal portant objects of this invention to provide, i frusto-conical valve element 36 which seats on liquid dispensing equipment, a nozzle means that a ma ing on cal Seat 24 0f ipple 26 to close will speedily and efliciently pass a large variety the Outlet from chamber 32. The seat '24 of of liquids of. varying viscosity and weight; that nipple 26 surrounds the outlet opening from will discharge a large and hollow stream of liquid chamber 32 and is of a size that iscomparable at a relatively high velocity for fast operation; to the cross-section of the chamber that lies that will pass such liquids with a minimum of thereabove. turbulence and bubble or air entrapment to the It will be noted that the passage through tube end that foaming is minimized; that will form a 34 extends from below the casing l0 and valve stream that is hollow and can readily be vented element 36 to a point that is. above the casing can rise from a container that is beso that air ing filled and will exhaust through the nipple and not otherwise have to be accommodated.

The tube 34 carries within the casing I!) a pair of flanges 38 and 40 which, together with leathers 42 and washers 44, constitute a piston means that separate the chambers into the upper pressure chamber and the lower fluid chamber 32. Screws 46 hold the leathers in proper position on the flanges of the piston means.

The upper end of tube 34 is threaded to receive adjustment nut the spring 50, which is located between the end of tube 34 and the upper end of casing H] and tends to upwardly bias tube 34 to a position that brings valve member against the seat 24 of rotates the revoluble member 55 between its two positions.

' The material being dispensed, including paint and similar products of the paint industry, passes through valve 62, the operation of which is controlled by lever 64, into conduit 65 that delivers it to lower chamber 32 from the side and above valve 36. In order to coordinate the operation of valves 54 and B2, levers 58 and 64 are interconnected by the adjustable coupler 6'! in link 68 so that movement 62 results in a simultaneous opening of valve 60. Thus, both fluid under pressure and fluid to be dispensed flow at the same time. The former enters the upper chamber 30 and initiates downward displacement of the piston on tube 34 and causes valve 36 to be unseated to open outlet 24. At the same time, paint and like material flowing through passage 56 enters the lower chamber and flows therethrough down and around the conical valve member 36.

The pattern'of flow of the material being dispensed is suggested in Figure 3 to be in the form of an outwardly flared tubular stream that is hollow in the center. This tubular or cylindrical stream has substantial width and, naturally, will i be relatively thin. It is an observed tendency that the stream of fluid flowing out of the nozzle tends to strike the walls of a container C and then is deflected downward, sweeping with it any foam that may tend to form on tainer C. Such a stream is completely cylindrical and unbroken and obviously traps air that is in the container C and is being displaced by the incoming fluid. The venting action of tube 34 is then effective, Such air as is leaving the container readily flows upward and out through the. axial opening of tube 34 as suggested in Figure 3. Thus, a free escape is provided for air which would normally be trapped in the fluid stream. At the same time, foam that is carried down into the container, or is formed within the hollow descending stream, is enclosed and squelched and reduced by the, pressure of the incoming fluid and, to a certain extent, by the larger amount of air encased to the result that foaming is reduced and abated. Actual observa-- 48 that forms an abutment for of lever 64 to open valve the wall of contions disclose that, with the valve properly adjusted, container after container can be filled without foaming.

When a filling operation is terminated, as when the fluid level arrives at the top of the container, the operator swings lever 64 to the right in Figure 2 to close valve 62. At the same time, swing valve 54 is moved to the closed position to shut off incoming air while permitting the air trapped above the piston to evacuate through opening 55. Under such circumstances, spring 59 takes over and raises the tube 34 and closes opening 24 by seating the valve member 36 therein. The upward movement of the piston 'means places the interior of chamber I8 under a slight negative pressure and causes a slight suckback on the fluid around the edge of valve 36, thus reducing drip at that point. Such precludes fouling of containers during the interval between filling operations, during which the full container is removed and an empty one is placed under the nozzle.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified form of my nozzle which, in most respects, functions as that previously described. This form of nozzle comprises the casing 12, having a lower nipple 73 which includes the seat 14 with which valve element 15 cooperates in closing the opening in the nipple. The tube 16 is flanged at 11 to receive the diaphragm 18 which is peripherally secured and sealed in the cup by means of the cover 19. Below the diaphragm is filling chamber 89, and chamber 8| thereabove is the pressure chamber with air or like fluid under pressure being supplied through conduit 82. The upper extension of tube 16 protrudes above cover 78 and nut 84 and forms a seat for one end of spring 85 which otherwise rests on casing cover 18. Paint or the like to be dispensed is supplied through passage 86 in the side of chamber 80. Various adjustments in the operation of the nozzle are possible by reason of the manner in which the parts are associated together. Assuming a condition wherein air under pressure is sup- 4! plied to valve 54 at a constant pressure, the operator may vary its operativeness by shortening the distance between nut 48 and the top of the casing I0, thus further compressing spring and short- ;11; ening the stroke of the piston means within the so casing. In this case, the amount of opening that occurs between valve member 36 and seat 24 will be to a reduced degree slower to open and faster to close, or the stroke may be increased by slackening ofi the compression of spring 50 by turning nut outward on tube 34. This will also result in a quick opening of the valve with a slower closing moment. By varying the pressure of air or similar medium to valve 54, variations in the effect on the piston and valve will be obtained. The pressure on the fluid being dispensed may also be increased or decreased .to alter the period during which a given quantity flows in filling a container. These adjustments combine in the nozzle to permit the handling of fluidsof differing viscosity as is so commonly the case in the paint and like industries.

It should also be noted that cleaning of the nozzle is facilitated by the manner in which the parts are assembled. For example, when a 7 change is made in the fluid being dispensed, all the operator need do is to remove nut 48 from tube 34, whereupon the latter can be dropped into the lower part of chamber l8 ,to permit flushing upward through nipple 26 and cleaning oithe flushing and fully exposed valve element 36, or a cleaning solvent or the like may be introduced through valve 62 and nozzle operated several times with the result that the interior is completely washed clean.

The timing of the opening of valves 54 and 62 can be varied by adjusting the length of link 68 by turning the coupler '61 one direction or the other.

I have shown a sleeve under the nut 48, and resting on casing I 0, which may be employed as a stop means for the stroke of tube 34 instead of depending upon the closing of the coils of spring 50.

The nozzle shown can readily be accommodated to filling various sized containers by making sets of nipples 26 and valve elements 36. For example, the nozzle when adapted to fill gallon cans should have an opening of about five inches while a quarter pint can is best filled with the opening adjusted to one and one-half inches. Normally three sets of mating sleeves and valves will accommodate the fractional sized containers between one quarter pint and one gallon.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A nozzle for dispensing paints and the like, comprising: means forming an upright chamber having a lower outlet of a size substantially equal to the cross-section of said chamber and shaped to provide an external conical valve seat therearound; an open-ended tube extending vertically through said chamber coaxial with the axis of said lower outlet; an element on said tube within said chamber in spaced relation above said outlet and dividing said chamber into noncommunicating expansible-contractible portions; a reciprocally operable conically-shaped valve member carried by said tube exterior of said chamber and cooperable with said seat to close said outlet; means exterior of said chamber to bias said valve to the closed position; means for supplying fluid under pressure to said upper chamber portion above said element to move said valve to the open position against said bias, and means for supplying fluid to be dispensed to said lower chamber portion below said element.

2. A nozzle for dispensing paints and the like, comprising: means forming a chamber having a lower outlet; an open-ended tube extending vertically through said chamber coaxial with the axis of said lower outlet; an element on said tube within said chamber in spaced relation from said outlet and dividing said chamber into noncommunicating portions; a reciprocally operable valve element carried by said tube and cooperable with the rim of said outlet to close the same; means exterior of said chamber to bias said valve to the closed position; fluid pressure means in communication with said chamber above said element to move the valve against its bias and to open said outlet, and means for supplying fluid to be dispensed to said chamber below said element.

3. A nozzle for dispensing paints and the like, comprising: means forming a chamber having a lower outlet; an open-ended tube extending vertically through said chamber coaxial with the axis of said lower outlet; a piston on said tube within said chamber in spaced relation from said outlet and dividing said chamber into non-communicating portions; a reciprocally operable valve element carried by said tube and cooperable with the rim of said outlet to close the same; means exterior of said chamber to bias said valve to the closed position; fluid pressure means in communication with said chamber above said piston to move the valve against its bias and to open said outlet, and means for supplying fluid to be dispensed to said chamber below said piston.

HARRY LAMB.

No references cited. 

